Bad Boy Buggies has a local dealer

Dan Davis/The Daily Jeffersonian Published: April 1, 2007 4:02 AM

Sowers, owner of the Battery Depot, 61110 Southgate Road, can lay claim as the sole dealer in Ohio for Bad Boy Buggies, an all-electric off-roader made in Natchez, Miss.

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"They'll never hear you coming" is the company slogan in describing the silent operation of their buggies, billed as the world's first all-electric, all-wheel drive, "silent utility vehicle" with reverse.

Ideal for hunters seeking a stealthy approach to game fields, the buggy is also well-suited for campers, farmers and ranchers.

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The buggy is a real stump-puller. The two electric motors produce a total of 31 horsepower, but deliver 170 foot-pounds of torque to the ground through the 22-inch by nine-inch all-terrain wheels via an automatic transmission with direct drive, meaning no chains or belts.

The body is fiberglass. Both front and rear suspensions are straight axle with multi-leaf springs. Clearance is 16.5 inches, mid-frame. Brakes are of sealed mechanical drum type.

Range is 30 miles in two-wheel drive, 20 miles in four-wheel drive. Maximum speed is 17 miles per hour.

The buggy can haul four adults, two in rearward-facing seats. Cargo capacity is 800 pounds for the cargo bed, 40 pounds for the front basket and 200 pounds on the roof rack.

Available accessories include a heater, winch, snow plow and cab enclosure.

Sowers has been a Bad Boy Buggies dealer for about two weeks. In that time, he said, he has sold two buggies.

Though the realtree hardwoods HD grey camouflage paint scheme is the most popular, he added, the body can be painted in forest green, red or black.